Territory



(N0 Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E.

L. TFPR son GU No. 409,868. Patented Aug. 2'7 1889.

ATTORNEY (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheeti- L. T. PRICE.

$01) BUTTER.

No. 409,868. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

By VMMW, 4

ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

L. T. PRICE.

SOD GUTTER.

Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

W/T ESSES:

ATTORNEY N4 PETERS Plwlu-Lixm m hnr. Washington. I! C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEIVIS T. PRICE, OF ENDIOOTT, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

SOD-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,868, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed March 15, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS T. PRICE, of Endicott, in the county of Whitman and Territory of \Vashingtomhave invented a new and Improved Sod-Cutter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved sod-cutter, which is simple and durable in construction, very eifective in operation, and specially designed to cut soil in which grows the grass commonly called nigger-wool grass, which with its many hard roots makes the sod very dense andhard to cut.

The invention consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the same, on lines a; 00 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a transverse view of the device for raising and lowering the tongue.

The improved sod-cutter is provided with a frame A, comprising the longitudinal beams B, B, and B and the transversely-extending beams O, O, O and O. In order to strengthen the frame I connect the side beams B and B by means of metallic rods C. On the tops of the beams B and B are secured the boxes D D, in which is mounted to turn the shaft E, extending transversely about the middle of the frame A. On the ends of the shaft E are formed the downwardly-extending arms F and F respectively, on which are mounted the wheels G and G respectively,supporting the improved cutter and permitting an easy movement of the machine over the ground.

O11 the shaft E is secured an upwardly-extending hand-lever H, on which is mounted to slide an arm I, connected by a link I with a small hand-lever 1 pivoted on the upper end of the hand-lever II and pressed outward by a spring 1 The arm I is adapted to engage notches J in a segment J secured on the longitudinal beam D of the main frame Serial No. 803,378- (No model.)

A. Then the lever H is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the arms F and F stand vertically and the frame A has an elevated position. When the operator moves the hand-lever H rearward into the position shown in Fig. 3, then the arms F and F are inclined and the frame A is lowered,so that the centers of the wheels G are about in line with the middle of the frame A. The hand-lever II is located alongside the seat K, supported on a springbar K, fastened to one of the transverse beams of the main frame A. The operator seated on this seat K can thus conveniently manipulate said hand-lever II and the small hand-lever 1 for raisin or lowering the main frame A, whenever desired.

To the under side of the transverse beams O, O and O are secured downwardly-ex tending U-shaped brackets L and L respectively, each provided with a suitable hearing L in which are journaled shafts 0, carryin g sets of rotary disks N and N, of which one set is located behind the other and the several disks of one set are placed midway between the disks of the other set, as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 2. When the main frame A is in the position shown in Fig.1, the sets of disks N and N are held above the ground; but when the frame A is thrown in the position shown in Fig. 3 then the disks N and N pass into the soil and when the machine is drawn forward said disks cut the soil into small strips.

On top of the transverse beam O are secured the lugs P, between which is pivoted the rear end of the pole or ton'gue P, extending forward through a suitable guide Q, erected on the transverse beam 0. On the pole P, next to the lugs P, is secured a footboard P for the operator seated on the seat K to rest his feet on. As the frame A is to be raised and lowered to cause the disks N and N to enter the sod, it is necessary to ad just the tongue Plikewise. For this purpose I provide a cam R, engaging the under side of the tongue P between the guide Q and its pivotal point on the lugs P. The cam R is secured to a short shaft R, mounted to turn in suitable bearings secured on the front transverse beam 0. On the shaft .R is also secured an upwardly-extending hand-lever S,

Too

passing through a guideway T and provided with an offset or lug S, adapted to engage notches or teeth T, formed on the guideway Tu A spring S (see Fig. 4) is fastened by one end on the hand-lever S and presses at its free end against the guideway T, so as to press the lug D in contact with one of the notches T in the said guideway, thus holding the hand-levcr locked in whatever position it is in. \Vhen the lever S is in the position shown in Fig. 3 the pole P is raised, but when the operator swings the hand-lever S rearward into the position shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 3 then the cam R swings downward, whereby the pole P is correspondingly lowered. Thus whether the frame A is in a raised or a lowered condition the pole P is adjusted so as to be always at the same height at its front end to fit the harnesses carried by the horses.

To the under sides of the transverse beams O and l and in the middle is secured a 1011- gitudinally-extending bar U, projecting at its front end beyond the front transverse beam G. On the outer end of this bar U is secured the usual doubletree V, to which the horses are attached for drawing the machine. WVhen the machine is drawn forward and the operator throws the hand-lever II into its rearward position, as shown in Fig. 3, then the frame Ais lowered and the rotary cutting-disks N and N enter the ground and cut the sod into longitudinal strips, so that the following plow can very easily plow up the ground without danger of breaking the plow.

This improved sod-cutter is specially designed for cutting heavy soil on which grows the grass commonly called niggerwool grass, which on account of its very heavy and numerous roots is very hard to cut.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a sod-cutter, the combination, with a frame mounted on wheels, cutting-disks carried by the frame, and means for raising and lowering the said frame, of a tongue pivoted to the frame, a shaft journaled below the tongue, a cam on the shaft, a hand-lever secured to the shaft, and means for locking the lever in the position into which it is moved, substantially as described, whereby provision is made for adjusting the tongue according to the position of the frame, as set forth.

2. In a sod-cutter, the combination, with a frame mounted on wheels, cutting-disks carried by the frame, and means for raising and lowering the said frame, of a tongue pivoted to the frame, a guide through which the tongue projects, a shaft journaled below the tongue between its pivoted end and the guide,a cam on the shaft for engaging the under side of the tongue, a hand-lever on the said shaft provided with a lug, a notched guideway and a spring secured to the lever and projecting down into the guideway and serving to press the lug of the lever into one of the notches of the said guideway, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a sod-cutter, the combination, with a frame, hangers depending from the frame, and cutting-disks mounted in.the hangers, of the shaft E, journaled in the frame and provided with the downwardly-extending arms F and F, the wheels G and G, mounted on the said arms, the lever H, secured to the shaft, the arm I, mounted to slide on the said lever, the spring-pressed hand-lever I pivoted ,to the lever H and connected to the arm I by link I, and the notched segment secured to the frame and with which the arm I engages, substantially as herein shown and described.

LEWVIS T. PRICE.

Witnesses:

J. T. PERsoN, J. B. P012. 

